Stair Master Stair Stepper Any Good?

Question

I've been thinking about getting a Stair Master Stair Stepper and wondered if you think they're any good?

Answer

I'm a little bit surprised that the Stair Steppers, and more specifically the Stair Master (Nautilus) is making a comeback. The hey day for the Stair Master was in the early to mid 1990's when on any given day you could go down to the local health club and find row after row of women wearing butt floss workout shorts madly racing each other one step after another, all the while leaning on their wrists so hard supporting their body weight they hardly got a decent leg workout…

I digress, back to the present time (although I do miss the 1990's workout scene a little bit I have to admit).

My thoughts on the Stair Master and stair stepper in general are that they do provide a good lower body workout when used correctly, and it is possible to get a good cardio workout as well - I do say this with provisos mind you - and those provisos are:

Stair Master and Stair Stepper DO NOTS

• DO NOT buy a stair stepper on the bargain shelf at the local Walmart or Costco
• DO NOT buy a piston driven stair stepper
• DO NOT buy a stair stepper unless it has independent pedal geometry
• DO NOT use a stair stepper and lean on the handrails while using it
• DO NOT rely on a pulse grip heart rate monitor, only use a telemetry strap

With all the  DO NOTS out of the way, let me wrap up by saying that if I were going to buy a stair master here are the models I would consider at different budget levels:

1. Stair Master StepMill 7000PT - Best stair stepper on the market at all the top health clubs - a great machine if you can afford one.
2. Stair Master FreeClimber 4200PT - A good way to get in the Stair Master line without breaking the bank.
3. Diamondback® 1150St - A solid choice in the under $2000 price range with good features to price ratio.
4. Schwinn 305p Stair Climber - I know I know, I don't like pistin models - if you're strapped for cash and "gotta have" a stepper this is the one.